Multi-cell battery management device

ABSTRACT

Multi-cell battery management devices, systems, and method of operation are disclosed herein. A multi-cell battery pack includes a power output terminal and a plurality of battery cells each having a positive terminal and a negative terminal connected in series. Each cell of the plurality of battery cells includes: i) a cell control processor to monitor cell voltage, cell current, cell temperature, and cell fuse status; ii) a programmable cell balance shunt controlled by the cell control processor that varies the internal resistance of each cell of the plurality of battery cells; and iii) a data communications circuit connected to the cell control processor and to the positive terminal and the negative terminal of each cell, the communications circuit enabling data communications over the positive terminal and the negative terminal of each cell, and wherein the cell control processor responds to commands received via the data communications circuit to vary an operating state of the programmable cell balance shunt.

PRIORITY

The present application is related to, and claims the priority benefit of, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/594,862, filed Dec. 5, 2017, the contents of which are incorporated into the present disclosure directly and by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

Rechargeable battery packs consisting of multiple cell lithium batteries and other battery technologies are common place in today's consumer and industrial electronic devices and electric vehicles. Such battery packs can become unstable as the individual cells age and the voltage output from each cell begins to vary with respect to other cells during operation thereof. Balancing the output of individual cells would ensure safe operation of the battery system and improve the performance and life expectancy of a typical multi-cell battery pack. In such a system, each cell would be monitored by a battery management system that measures the voltage of each serial connected cell and passive or active power output control devices contained within each cell are controlled by an intelligent controller to balance cell voltage output during charging and discharging operation. In addition, it is desirable that battery pack voltage is also monitored. Elimination of wires and connections to each cell for monitoring cell electrical status would significantly reduce wiring costs and system complexity.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In an exemplary embodiment of a multi-cell battery management device of the present disclosure, the device comprises a multi-cell battery pack including a power output terminal and a plurality of battery cells each having a positive terminal and a negative terminal connected in series. Each cell of the plurality of battery cells includes: i) a cell control processor to monitor cell voltage, cell current, cell temperature, and cell fuse status; ii) a programmable cell balance shunt controlled by the cell control processor that varies the internal resistance of each cell of the plurality of battery cells; and iii) a data communications circuit connected to the cell control processor and to the positive terminal and the negative terminal of each cell, the communications circuit enabling data communications over the positive terminal and the negative terminal of each cell, and wherein the cell control processor responds to commands received via the data communications circuit to vary an operating state of the programmable cell balance shunt.

In yet another embodiment, the above multi-cell battery management device may further comprise a battery management system (BMS) controller having a microcontroller (BMS MCU) therein that executes a computer program to monitor and control battery passive cell balancing and a control switch via a control signal.

In yet another embodiment, the above multi-cell battery management device may further comprise the BMS MCU transmitting shunt control data or voltage control data to microprocessor controllers within each cell of the plurality of battery cells, wherein each of the plurality of battery cells responds by turning on or off the resistance of the programmable cell balance shunts to adjust the operating condition of their respective battery cells to achieve cell voltage balancing or a desired cell output voltage.

In yet another embodiment, the above multi-cell battery management device may further comprise the BMS controller operating to direct each of the microprocessor controllers within each of the plurality of battery cells to enable or disable the programmable cell balance shunts within each of the plurality of battery cells to achieve a desired cell voltage.

In yet another embodiment, the above multi-cell battery management device may further comprise the BMS controller communicating precise programmable cell balance shunt settings to each of the microprocessor controllers within each of the plurality of battery cells to achieve voltage balancing.

In yet another embodiment, the above multi-cell battery management device may further comprise the programmable cell balance shunt being controlled by each of the microprocessor controllers within each of the plurality of battery cells varies internal resistance of each of the plurality of battery cells individually.

In yet another embodiment, the above multi-cell battery management device may further comprise the BMS controller having a power line communications integrated circuit (PLC) that enables the MCU of the BMS controller to communicate with each of the microprocessor controllers within each of the plurality of battery cell individually.

In yet another embodiment, the above multi-cell battery management device may further comprise the multi-cell battery management device operating to reduce higher battery cell voltages to match those of lower battery cell voltages in the multi-cell battery pack to prevent damage.

In yet another embodiment, the above multi-cell battery management device may further comprise the programmable cell balance shunt further comprising circuit components used to control battery cell output voltage by varying resistance of the programmable battery cell balance shunt.

In yet another embodiment, the above multi-cell battery management device may further comprise the programmable cell balance shunt having low resistance to prevent significant loss of power via resistive thermal heating.

In yet another embodiment, the above multi-cell battery management device may further comprise each of the plurality of battery cells further comprising unique identification for communicating with the BMS controller, so that the BMS controller can identify which specific battery cell, of the plurality of battery cells, sent a particular communication.

In another exemplary embodiment, a method of achieving voltage balancing within a multi-cell battery pack is disclosed. The multi-cell battery pack has a battery management system (BMS) controller comprising a data communications circuit connected to a power output terminal of the multi-cell battery pack. The BMS controller operates to perform the following steps: i) obtaining cell voltage, cell current, cell temperature and cell fuse status data for each of a plurality of battery cells by transmitting and receiving via the data communications circuit; ii) determining desired cell output voltages based on the cell voltage, cell current, cell temperature and cell fuse status for each of the plurality of battery cells; and iii) transmitting desired cell output voltage data to the data communications circuit of each of the plurality of battery cells using the data communications circuit of the BMS controller.

In another exemplary embodiment, the above method may further comprise the BMS controller having a microcontroller (BMS MCU) therein, wherein the method further comprises controlling an operating state of each cell of the plurality of battery cells using the BMS MCU in communication with programmable cell balance shunts controlled by microprocessor controllers within each of the plurality of battery cells.

In another exemplary embodiment, the above method may further comprise controlling the operating state by operating the BMC MCU to control shunt control data or voltage control data sent to the microprocessor controllers within each of the plurality of battery cells. The method of claim 12, further comprising each of the plurality of battery cells responding to requests from the BMS controller to provide battery cell operating measurement data of each of the plurality of battery cells to the BMS controller to achieve voltage balancing.

In another exemplary embodiment, the above method may further comprise the BMS controller collecting periodic and repeated communication broadcasts of battery cell data received from the each of the microprocessor controllers of each of the plurality of battery cells at predetermined time intervals to achieve voltage balancing.

In yet another embodiment, the above method may further comprise the BMS MCU transmitting shunt control data or voltage control data to each microprocessor controller within each of the plurality of battery cells, wherein each of the plurality of battery cells responds by turning on or off the resistance of cell balance shunts to adjust the operating condition of their respective battery cells and achieve cell balancing or a desired cell output voltage.

In yet another embodiment, the above method may further comprise the BMS controller operating to reduce higher battery cell voltages to match those of lower battery cell voltages in the multi-cell battery pack to prevent damage.

In yet another embodiment, the above method may further comprise the data communications circuit being further connected to a cell control processor and to a positive terminal and a negative terminal of each cell of the plurality of battery cells, wherein the data communications circuit is further enabling data communication over the positive terminal and the negative terminal of each of the plurality of battery cells, and wherein the cell control processor is responding to commands received via the data communications circuit to vary an operating state of a programmable cell balance shunt.

In yet another embodiment, the above method may further comprise each of the plurality of battery cells having a unique identification for communicating with the BMS controller, so that the BMS controller can identify which specific battery cell, of the plurality of battery cells, sent a particular communication.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosed embodiments and other features, advantages, and disclosures contained herein, and the matter of attaining them, will become apparent and the present disclosure will be better understood by reference to the following description of various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic illustration of a multi-cell battery management device 10, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of cell module 22 of FIG. 1, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the circuit components of the programmable cell balance shunts 42 and 44 of FIG. 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

An overview of the features, functions and/or configurations of the components depicted in the various figures will now be presented. It should be appreciated that not all of the features of the components of the figures are necessarily described. Some of these non-discussed features, such as various couplers, etc., as well as discussed features are inherent from the figures themselves. Other non-discussed features may be inherent in component geometry and/or configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the present disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of this disclosure is thereby intended.

An exemplary device for multi-cell battery management device 10 of the present disclosure is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. As shown in FIG. 1, device 10, such as a multi-cell battery pack 17, includes a microprocessor based battery management system or BMS controller 12 electrically connected to a positive terminal 14 and a negative terminal 16 of a multi-cell battery 17. Multi-cell battery pack 17 also includes a plurality of battery cells, such as 22 and 24. Each of the battery cells 22 and 24 includes a positive terminal 46 and a negative (output) terminal 48 connected in series, as shown in FIG. 1. Each of the battery cells 22 and 24 are identical in construction and representative of a typical multi-cell battery pack 17 that may include additional cells “n” as is needed to produce a desired DC output voltage on terminal 14. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of battery cell 22 shown in FIG. 1 and is representative of the components of each battery cell (such as 22 and 24).

Battery management system (BMS) controller 12 includes a microprocessor based controller or microcontroller 28 (BMS MCU 28) that executes a computer program to monitor and control battery passive cell balancing and control switch 18 via control signal 20. Switch 18 is representative of a power switching electronic device or alternatively a set of relay contacts where the signal present on signal path 20 controls the open/closed state of control switch 18. BMS controller 12 includes a power line communications integrated circuit (PLC) 26 that enables the BMS MCU 28 to communicate with microprocessor controllers 38 and 40 present in each of the battery cells 22 and 24 over battery power wire 14. PLC 26 includes a UART (universal asynchronous receiver transmitter) interface that is connected to digital inputs and outputs of MCU 28. PLC 26 provides a serial data communications interface for BMS MCU 28 to communicate with corresponding PLC devices 30 and 32 of battery cells 22 and 24, respectively, over battery cell connection wires 14 and 34. The microprocessor controllers 38 and 40, of the battery cells 22 and 24, communicate with BMS MCU 28 via PLCs 30 and 32. PLC devices 30 and 32 are identical to PLC 26 and provide a serial data communications interface for microprocessor controllers 38 and 40 to exchange data with the BMS MCU 28 over power wires 14 and 34 of the multi-cell battery pack 17.

All microcontrollers, including the BMS MCU 28, and the microprocessor controllers 38 and 40 of the battery cells, include typical microcontroller features, specifically a microprocessor, program memory or ROM, random access memory or RAM, and digital and analog input/output (I/O) capabilities. Each battery cell microprocessor controller 38 and 40 operates to monitor its respective battery cell's operating conditions such as cell voltage, cell current, cell temperature and cell fuse status via I/O circuitry. Such I/O devices are well known in the electronics art. Further, each battery cell module includes a computer controlled cell balance shunt (42 and 44) controlled by the respective microprocessor controllers 38 and 40 of each battery cell 22 and 24, as shown in FIG. 1. Each cell balance shunt 42 and 44 includes circuit components used to control battery cell output voltage by varying the resistance of shunts 42 and 44. It is contemplated that the resistance of shunts 42 and 44 will be low to prevent significant loss of power via resistive thermal heating. Either ON/OFF or PWM controlled balancing can be used based on the requirement.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a schematic circuit diagram for battery cells 22 and 24 is shown depicting cell balance shunt circuits 42 and 44 contained therein, respectively. Each battery cell 22 and 24 of a multi-cell battery pack 17 contains two enhancement mode n-channel and p-channel MOSFET transistors used as electronic switches in the present design. Transistors 50 and 52 are situated in battery cell 44 and transistors 54 and 56 are situated within battery cell 42. Resistors 58 and 60 are shunt resistors and resistors 62 and 64 are voltage “pullup” resistors. Gate (G) of transistor 52 is connected to a digital output of microprocessor controller 40 and gate (G) of transistor 56 is connected to a digital output of microprocessor controller 38. A logic high level voltage at gate (G) of an n-channel MOSFET will turn the device fully “on” reducing the resistance from drain (D) to source (S) to near zero ohms and enabling current to flow from drain (D) to source (S). Pullup resistors 62 and 64 are relatively high in resistance and serve to maintain a logic high voltage at gate (G) of transistors 50 and 54 when transistors 52 and 56 are not turned on, i.e., the gate signal at transistors 52 and 56 is logic low. A logic low signal is normally present when no cell balancing is required at gate (G) of both transistors 52 and 56. When transistors 52 and 56 are “on”, gates (G) of transistors 50 and 54 are pulled low turning transistors 50 and 54 “on” and connecting shunt resistors 58 and 60 across battery cells 22 and 24. If battery cell balancing is determined necessary, such as the condition where the output voltage of battery cell 24 is greater than the output voltage of battery cell 22, microprocessor controller 40 will apply a logic high signal to gate (G) of transistor 52 resulting in a logic low voltage at gate (G) of transistor 50 turning transistor 50 “on” and a near zero resistance is then present between the drain (D) and source (S) of transistor 50 and the resistance of resistor 58 is connected across signal paths 14 and 34, via positive and negative battery cell terminals, 46 and 48, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Balance current depends upon battery cell voltage and the resistance of the resistor 58. The battery cell balancing continues to be active as long as the battery cell 22 voltage is almost equal to battery cell voltages of 24. Conversely, if the output voltage of battery cell 22 is greater than that of battery cell 24 and load balancing is determined necessary, microprocessor controller 38 applies a logic high to gate (G) of transistor 56, which results in a logic low at gate (G) of transistor 54 applying the resistance of resistor 60 to the output voltage of battery cell 22 in parallel with signal paths 34 and 16, via positive and negative (output) battery cell terminals 46 and 48.

It should be apparent that additional shunt circuits arranged in parallel with the above described circuits could be implemented to provide a variety of shunt resistances across the battery cell's positive and negative terminals 46 and 48, thereby enhancing the operation and efficiency of the battery cell voltage balancing.

Battery management device 10, such as a multi-cell battery pack 17, operates as follows. The BMS MCU 28 within the battery management system (BMS) controller 12 communicates with each battery cell's 22, 24 microprocessor controller 38 and 40 over wires 14 and 34 by way of power line communications devices 26, 30 and 32. Battery cells 22 and 24 may operate in one of two modes, a first mode includes responding to requests from BMS controller 12 to provide battery cell operating measurement data to BMS controller 12 such as cell voltage, cell current, cell temperature, and cell fuse state. Alternatively, a second mode of collecting data from battery cell modules 22 and 24 would include periodic and repeated communication broadcasts of battery cell data by microprocessor controllers 38 and 40 over power signal lines 34 and 14 to BMS controller 12 at predetermined time intervals via PLC devices 26, 30 and 32. BMS controller 12 monitors the data collected from battery cells 22 and 24 and determines whether battery cell balancing is required based upon predetermined voltage thresholds. BMS controller 12 transmits shunt control data or voltage control data to microprocessor controllers 38 and 40, which in turn, responds by turning on/off the resistance of shunts 42 and 44 to adjust the operating condition of their respective battery cells 22 and 24 and achieve battery cell balancing or a desired battery cell output voltage in accordance with the description of operation of the circuits shown in FIG. 3. The objective being to reduce higher battery cell voltages to match those of the lower voltage battery cells in the multi-cell battery pack 17. BMS controller 12 may either direct microprocessor controllers 38 and 40 to enable or disable shunts 42 and 44, respectively, to achieve a desired battery cell voltage, or BMS controller 12 may communicate precise shunt settings to microprocessor controllers 38 and 40, either operation of which will be successful in voltage balancing. Precise shunt settings are contemplated where the circuits shown in FIG. 3 are implemented with multiple switching circuits as shown in FIG. 3 for each battery cell resulting in multiple shunt resistances available in each battery cell.

BMS controller 12 also monitors total multi-cell battery pack 17 voltage and current flow between signal paths 14 and 16 via communications with microprocessor controllers 38 and 40. If an operating condition is sensed by BMS controller 12 that is undesirable or dangerous, BMS controller 12 responds by disengaging battery wire 14 from a load or charger (not shown) by opening switch 18 to disconnect battery wire 14 from the load or battery charger circuit and thereby preventing dangerous or device damaging operating conditions.

PLC devices 26, 30 and 32 are commercially available IC devices. Such products are manufactured by a number of suppliers including ST Microelectronics, Atmel, Texas Instruments and Yamar Electronics, Ltd. One particular device that is suitable for use in the present invention is the SIG60 UART device manufactured by Yamar Electronics, Ltd. which is adapted for use in AC or DC power systems to provide serial data communications over battery power lines. Further information including a detailed data sheet for the SIG60 IC may be found at the web site WWW.YAMAR.COM and is herein incorporated by reference.

It is contemplated that each battery cell module 22 and 24 may require unique identification when communicating with the BMS controller 12. Specifically, when communicating with a particular battery cell module, BMS controller 12 includes a battery cell module identifier when transmitting serial data commands over the power bus to the battery cell modules 22, 24. Unique identifiers transmitted via serial data streams are easily established in software by use of a unique numerical value, or in hardware by pulling digital inputs of the microprocessor controllers 38 and 40 to a unique logic high or low state via simple pull-up and pull-down resistor circuits. Where each microprocessor controller 38 and 40 includes a unique identifier assigned via hardware or software, each data stream transmitted by the microprocessor controllers 38 and 40 would include the unique identifier value as a message source or “battery cell module” identifier (such as 22, 24, etc.).

While various embodiments of devices for multi-cell battery management and methods for multi-cell battery management have been described in considerable detail herein, the embodiments are merely offered as non-limiting examples of the disclosure described herein. It will therefore be understood that various changes and modifications may be made, and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting with respect to the content thereof.

Further, in describing representative embodiments, the present disclosure may have presented a method and/or a process as a particular sequence of steps. However, to the extent that the method or process does not rely on the particular order of steps set forth therein, the method or process should not be limited to the particular sequence of steps described, as other sequences of steps may be possible. Therefore, the particular order of the steps disclosed herein should not be construed as limitations of the present disclosure. In addition, disclosure directed to a method and/or process should not be limited to the performance of their steps in the order written. Such sequences may be varied and still remain within the scope of the present disclosure. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A multi-cell battery management device, the device comprising: a battery pack including a power output terminal and a plurality of battery cells each having a positive and a negative terminal and connected in series fashion, and wherein each of the plurality of battery cells comprises: a) a cell control processor that monitors cell voltage, cell current, cell temperature and cell fuse status; b) a programmable cell balance shunt controlled by the cell control processor that varies internal resistance of each of the battery cells; and c) a data communications circuit connected to the cell control processor and to the positive and negative terminals of each cell, the communications circuit enabling data communications over the each of the positive terminal and the negative terminal of each cell of the plurality of battery cell positive and negative output terminals, and wherein the cell control processor responds to commands received via the data communications circuit to vary the operating state of the programmable shunt.
 2. The multi-cell battery management device of claim 1, wherein the multi-cell battery management device further comprises a micro-processor based controller or microcontroller (MCU) that executes a computer program to monitor and control battery passive cell balancing and a control switch via a control signal.
 3. The multi-cell battery management device of claim 2, wherein the controller transmits shunt control data or voltage control data to micro-controllers within the battery cells, wherein the battery cells respond by turning on or off the resistance of cell balance shunts to adjust the operating condition of their respective battery cells and achieve cell balancing or a desired cell output voltage.
 4. The multi-cell battery management device of claim 2, wherein the controller operates to direct micro-processor controllers within the battery cells to enable or disable cell balance shunts within the battery cells to achieve a desired cell voltage.
 5. The multi-cell battery management device of claim 2, wherein the controller communicates precise cell balance shunt settings to micro-processor controllers within the battery cells to achieve voltage balancing.
 6. The multi-cell battery management device of claim 1, wherein the multi-cell battery management device operates to reduce higher cell voltages to match those of the lower voltage cells in the battery pack to prevent damage.
 7. The multi-cell battery management device of claim 1, wherein the programmable cell balance shunt further comprises circuit components used to control cell output voltage by varying resistance of the cell balance shunt.
 8. The multi-cell battery management device of claim 1, wherein the programmable cell balance shunt controlled by the cell control processor varies internal resistance of each of the plurality of battery cells individually.
 9. The multi-cell battery management device of claim 1, wherein the programmable cell balance shunt has low resistance to prevent significant loss of power via resistive thermal heating.
 10. The multi-cell battery management device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of battery cells further comprises unique identification when communicating with a micro-processor based controller or microcontroller (MCU).
 11. A method of operating a battery management system processor to achieve voltage balancing, wherein the battery management system processor comprises a data communications circuit connected to a power output terminal of a battery pack, and wherein the battery management processor performs the following steps: i) obtaining cell voltage, cell current, cell temperature and cell fuse status data for each of a plurality of battery cells by transmitting and receiving via the data communications circuit, ii) determining desired cell output voltages based on the cell voltage, cell current, cell temperature and cell fuse status for each of the plurality of battery cells, and iii) transmitting desired cell output voltage data to the data communications circuit of each of the plurality of battery cells using the data communications circuit of the battery management system processor. 